The best phones for less than $500

The best phones for less than $500 include so many features that you want to see in an excellent phone, with sacrifices that you might not even notice. These are phones that include displays with high refresh rates, modern chips, good cameras and 5G. They even get several years of software and security updates.

Here are three great phones that are short on price but still long on features.

WHAT Google Pixel 7A

THE COST From $499

AVAILABLE FROM store.google.com

Google's budget phone took a leap forward in 2023 with the Pixel 7A, which offers many of the same benefits as the Pixel 7 but at a cheaper price. Like the Pixel 7, the Pixel 7A runs on Google's Tensor G2 processor, meaning it has many of the same photo editing and language translation features as its pricier sibling. The Pixel 7A's 64-megapixel camera also takes excellent photos that rival the Pixel 7's in quality.

While the Pixel 7 is great, the Pixel 7A's lower price makes it a better deal for most people. Only opt for the Pixel 7 if you really want a slightly larger screen and are willing to pay the extra $100 for it. 

WHAT Samsung Galaxy A53

THE COST $449.99

AVAILABLE FROM samsung.com

The Samsung Galaxy A53 includes many of the best features seen in the Galaxy S22 line, with a few trade-offs to hit that lower price. The phone includes a 6.5-inch AMOLED screen with a 2,400x1,080-pixel resolution, 5G support and a long-lasting 5,000-mAh battery. The phone also comes with a 64-megapixel main camera, 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, 5-megapixel macro camera and 5-megapixel depth camera. A high point for this phone is Samsung's pledge to provide four years of software support, in addition to shipping with Android 12 with Samsung's One UI 4.1.

WHAT Apple iPhone SE

THE COST From $429

AVAILABLE FROM apple.com

The iPhone SE is a mix of an older design with the latest smartphone features, including Apple's A15 Bionic chip and 5G support. It's also one of the few phones on the market that includes a smaller, 4.7-inch screen.

It's that throwback design, which continues the general shape that Apple has used since 2014, that could be what you love or dislike most about this phone. If you want a larger iPhone in this price range, you can also consider the iPhone 11 and get a bigger screen and Face ID. But that phone does not include 5G connectivity.